DEER
I know that a great many people are opposed to deer hunting, and in principle, I was too. But here where I live, we have 5 months of snow where forage for deer is hard to come by, and unless deer herds are culled, they die of slow starvation instead of a fast bullet.
I often write at my computer late at night, when I’m completely alone. No phone calls or interruptions, just me and my computer. My desk is up against a ceiling-to-floor picture window, and we have a motion sensitive light attached to the side of the garage, which goes on if anyone or anything walks up our front path.
I was working at my computer late one night in deep winter, when the lights went off, brilliantly illuminating our front garden. I immediately looked out and saw a sight which was tragic and painful. A full grown doe came staggering up the pathway, and I could tell at a glance that she was on her last legs. Her skin was drawn tightly over her rib cage so that every one of them stood out. She could barely walk, and tottered, swaying from side to side, so weak that her legs could barely support her emaciated weight.
The sight of her was heartbreaking. I yearned to go to the front door and toss her an apple, but knew I couldn’t for several reasons. Firstly one apple wouldn’t be enough to save her from starvation and even if it was, she’d be back every night expecting handouts. Before long, she’d be joined by other hungry deer looking for a meal, and the result would be really awful – deer droppings, danger of deer mites and ticks on our property, (which, as we all know, cause severe disease and sometimes death), not to mention the huge expense it entailed, on a continuing basis.
So I sat and watched her, weeping copiously all over my keyboard, aching for her with every core of my being. Oh a swift bullet would’ve been a merciful release for this poor creature. I was certain she was going to die that night, and you can have no idea how awful it was to have witnessed this poor animal’s suffering.
I had another deer experience, but this one was an incredibly wonderful, beautiful and mystical event. Once again, it was late at night, I was at the computer and the outdoor lights came on. I looked out and there was the most magnificent stag I’ve ever seen. He was huge, with an impressive rack of antlers. I sat absolutely still, completely transfixed by his incredible beauty and grace – he took my breath away. Slowly he ambled right up to my window and started nibbling on a bush just below it. If I’d opened the window, he was so close I could’ve touched him. His velvety nose twitched as he chewed on the bush, his glossy brown coat shone and gleamed in the reflected light. Almost lazily, he turned and looked at me. Gorgeous large brown eyes, fringed with incredibly long eyelashes. I didn’t move a muscle. We gazed at each other for what seemed like ages, but which was probably just a couple of minutes.
I found myself unaccountably moved, with a lump in my throat and tears welling up in my eyes.
After a while, he turned, looked at me once more then slowly ambled back down the path.
I will never forget this experience. It had an unreal, mystical feel to it as if he and I had in some manner, communicated with one another. I knew I’d experienced perfection, and would probably never experience it quite like that again.
Recommend0 recommendationsPublished in Senior Chatters
JoJo…What a wonderful blog…seeing both sides of these magnificent creatures. I, too, oppose deer hunting…however I understand why it is necessary. I do believe, however, in many areas, it is man’s invasion of their habitat which has caused the problem of starvation. I live in an area where the deer come through daily and when I see these wonderful creatures my heart stands still. And when the hunting season arrives and I hear the guns, my heart aches. Just today I watched a doe with her two young ones running and playing…so beautiful. I enjoy ALL of your blogs and do read them when I come on Sr. Chatters…what a wonderful gift you have. Please continue.
Jo Jo , I also have deer where I live in Mays Chapel and see them sometimes during the day but at night I am carefull when I am coming home as not to hit one if they run out on to the road. Well I know that they allow hunting of the deer here in Baltimore County . So thanks for telling you story about the deer. Look forward to reading your blogs every day.
Thanks for your comment Rosemarie. I can understand how careful you have to be driving at night in a deer infested area because of course, that’s when they come out to feed. They are beautiful creatures but are also a pest. We have to put a green mesh around all our cedars or they’ll eat every branch back to its trunk – and unfortunately, it doesn’t grow back either, so you have a cedar that is total stripped to a deer’s height with growth only on its upper part.
A farming friend suggested I get my husband to pee around the perimeter of our yard, and that this would keep the deer away because in effect, that area would be marked as being his territory, but for some reason or other my husband wasn’t keen on that idea! Apparently, it’s a male dominated society with deer as well – they would ignore my pee! Hahaha
What a wondeful feeling that must have been to be that close to the stag, so intense. Thanks for such a great story.
Hi Frantzwa,
Thanks so much for your comments. You are absolutely right – man is invading the deer habitat at a vast rate of knots. When we came to this in this town, 26 years ago, the population was 19,000 – now it’s grown to more than 70,000, and expanding daily. Houses are going up everywhere, and what once was a peaceful rural suburb, is becoming a concrete jungle. Very sad.
Just down the road from where we live, there used to be a little farm that had a goat tethered in the yard – now it’s a mini shopping mall.
Behind our property there were woods where our kids played – now it’s all houses. Behind the woods was a beaver pond and at night we’d hear them bringing down trees for their dams. Well they trapped all the beaver, relocated them elsewhere and now that pond is used as a repository for the run off of melted snow during winter. Since the roads are heavily salted, needless to say that no living creature inhabits that pond anymore.
Up the road a ways there used to be a horse farm. I’d take sliced apples up there, stand at the fence and the horses would come up for their apple “fix.” It was delightful and they were a beautiful sight to see. That has long since gone.
And they call this “progress.”
Hi artist – Yes, being that close to a stag was truly a one of a kind experience.
It is wonderful to have deer around in one respect (they are truly beautiful creatures), but not so wonderful as well. As I explained above, they decimate cedars and other plants and so they are a pest. There are lots of farms in the area, and they’re suffering heavy financial losses because of the deer population which expands rapidly because they have no natural enemies. Hunting is forbidden because this is a heavily populated area.
But I forgot that a couple of week’s ago when a doe gave birth to the most adorable little fawn in our back garden. I didn’t see the actual birth, but saw the fawn get up on his tiny feet moments later, and totter over to his Mum’s milk bar. It was an awesome sight. They are truly beautiful animals.
Oh Jojo….you have reminded me of when I was in Scotland at a ladies retreat. i got up one morning very early to walk down to the Loch….I had to go quite a way as the place we were staying was on a hillside….as i was walking along enjoying the beautifull surroundings a stag ran down the slope right in front of me…It was magnificent….and it was away before I had chance to stop a stare. So lovely…to see the animal in it’s own environment. We have to be realistic…I love all creatures…but theyhave to be managed properly.
xxxx M
Thanks so much Morvenna for your kind comment and for sharing what can only be described as your mystical experience with that magnificent stag you saw. I entirely agree with you that herds have to be culled for the benefit of the animals themselves.
Thanks again.